Progress on one of Australia's largest transport projects continues to crawl along, with excavation complete on a key CBD station.
Sydney's Metro West project - priced at an eye-watering $25 billion - will connect Parramatta to the city centre but has been plagued by construction delays and cost blowouts.
The NSW government celebrated a rare win on Wednesday, with excavation on the Hunter St metro station, in the city's centre, complete.
Enough rock to fill 290 Olympic swimming pools has been removed at the station site to open up a cavern 20 metres deep and 180 metres long.
Hunter Street will be the final and busiest stop on the 24km line when it finally opens in 2032, with more than 10,000 people forecast to move through each hour.
A $21 billion metro system connecting Chatswood in the city's north to Sydenham in the inner west via tunnels under Sydney Harbour opened in August.
The opening of another section of the metro, connecting Sydenham with Bankstown in Sydney's southwest, has been delayed until 2026.
The government blamed the impact of industrial disputes for the delay.
The entire Sydney Metro project includes four metro lines, 46 stations and 113km of new rail.
"The excavation of Hunter Street metro station is a feat of engineering when you consider the dig came mere metres away from other underground infrastructure, including the other metro line," Transport Minister John Graham said.
"This station is going to be such an important gateway to Sydney's west, getting people to Parramatta in about 20 minutes, and linking precincts like Sydney Olympic Park, Burwood, the Bays and the health district of Westmead."
Initially due to open in 2028, then later pushed back to 2030, the project is now expected to be completed by 2032.
Stations on the 24km metro line are confirmed at Westmead, Parramatta, Sydney Olympic Park, North Strathfield, Burwood North, Five Dock, The Bays precinct, Pyrmont and Hunter St in the city centre.
The metro west line was initially budgeted by the former coalition government at $13 billion but is now expected to cost taxpayers $25.32 billion.
